Thursday, February 2, 2017

Kidnappers To Get Life Imprisonment In Lagos... as governor signs new law

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos on Wednesday signed into law the
anti-kidnapping bill recently passed by the State House of Assembly,
with a pledge to ensure its full implementation to eradicate kidnapping
once and for all in the State.

The Prohibition of Act of Kidnapping Law imposes a penalty of life
imprisonment on kidnapping for ransom. The law also stipulates that
where a victim dies in the course of kidnap, the suspect is liable on
conviction to death.
Speaking at the signing ceremony held at Lagos House in Ikeja, Governor
Ambode said the spate of kidnapping in the State had gotten to a level
that required decisive action from government, hence the need for the
enactment of the law to send serious message to perpetrators of such
heinous crime.

He said aside the enactment of the law, the State Government was also
putting in place appropriate measures particularly in the schools and
other vulnerable targets to prevent kidnapping and other security
breaches.

The Governor said: “Security is of utmost importance to our
administration and we are confident that this law will serve as a
deterrent to anybody who may desire to engage in this wicked act within
the boundaries of Lagos.

“Why we use this law to address the challenge and punish the criminals,
we are also putting in place appropriate measures particularly in our
schools and other vulnerable targets to prevent security breaches and it
is important that we ensure that everything we do in respect of this
anti-kidnapping law is in good faith and good spirit to eradicate the
issue of kidnapping once and for all in the State.”

Ambode assured that the justice system would be activated to execute the
anti-kidnapping law to the letter to ensure that any criminal caught is
subjected to the full wrath of the law.